Rotary fluid-pressure motor



U 0 Aug 1927 M. P. HOLMES ROTARY FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Original Filed Nov.lO, 1916 Zjheets-Sheec l.

M. P. HOLMES ROTARY FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Aug. 1927.

' Originai Filed Nov-l0. 1916 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mi i @Wmj rlllllll In-ue M212 1*: 771/0rrisRH0 Zines Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

UNITED/STATES ragresr OFFICE.

I MORRIS 1i HOLMES, or oLA'RnMoNT; NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or COLUMBUS, OHIO, A COR- PORATION OF OHIO.

ROTARY FLUID-PRESSURE MOTOR.

- Original application filed November 10, 1916, swarm. 130,579. Renewed April 21, 1922, Serial No. 555,916, Patent No. 1,544,398. Divided, and this'application' filed September 4, 1923. Serial No.

My invention relates to rotary fluid pressure motors. and more particularly though not exclusively to compressed air motors which is capable of developing relatively high power in proportion to its size and weight, -which may be readily assembled and disassembled, and which is especially adapted by reason of: its construction to use as thesourceot power on mining machines.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter more-fully, appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustratlon one form which my invention may assume 1n practice. I

In theserdraw1ngs, I

l is ZLVlGW largely in plan, but with parts broken away to show the internal constructionof the motor. i

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on" u i justing member 21. having an inwardly disthe. line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 1 a Fig) 3 1s a transverse vertical section on the line S 3 of F ig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a t 'ansverse vertical section on,

' the li ne 1-4: ofv Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale. 1 a Fig; 5 is a detail sectional view of the re lie'fvalve mechanism.

y In the illustrative disclosure shown the motor is of the general type disclosed in the patent to Van Deventeru; No. 996,169, dated June 27,: 1911, but constitutes an improvement over that motor in a number of particular p I I The motor herein comprises a motor casing 2 having suitable parallel, longitudinaliydispo 'ed 'lntGISQCt-lilg bores 3 therein adapted to house thelower portionsot' a pair o'li parallel rotors 4; These rotors, as best shown in 2, are each provided with a series of spiral. orhelical tooth blades 5,

t hose onone rotor being adapted to mesh with those oi the other substantially along 1 the central line o't the motor casing, and the rotors are provided with shafts 6 supported in beaiimgs in the motor casing 2 The 'l'l 'llt hand ends observlnvf E1 1 of each in r b "oft the shafts 6 extend into removable beaning carrying head members Ssuitably attached to themotor casing and projecting intothe bored out ends 9 of the rotors, the ends of the shafts being reduced as shown at 10 and surrounded by suitable oil retaining passagesll. Each shaft is also provided with a further reduced portion 12 around each of which is disposed a ball bearing 13 clamped in'position by 100 ring'nuts 14 carried on the threaded extension 15 upon the shaft. Theopposite ends of each of the shafts 6 are likewis similarly reduced as at 16 and extend into suitable bearing carry- 1 ing head members 17 similar to the members 8, but herein preferably formed integral a with the rear head of the motor casing. The rear endsof the shafts 6 are also provided with second reduced portions 18 around which ball bearings 19 similar in construction to the bearings 13 are arranged. In the present case, however, one of the head members 1-7 is provided with a threaded opening 29,015 slightly greater diameter than the bore 1 which. receives the ball bearing 19 and in this threaded opening is carried a thrust adposed flangeQZ at its front end. Against this flange there rests a ball thrust bearing 23 of the ball and split ring type, having its inner edge extending between a plurality or carried on, a still further reduced and threadedport-ion 28 on the shaft 6 a cooper til 111g ring 29 threaded on to the inner surface of the member 21 being disposed around the same and cooperating with the several parts ,just described to hold the same in position Obviou ly, through this construction not only will the rotor shafts be provided with suitable journal bearings,- but the thrust of the shafts will be absorbed, and any suitable adjustment oi the bearing men'ibers totake up the thrust may be readily obtained through the adjustment of the -memher21 s.for infance by inserting a srlitablc toolni notches -there n the momhe 21 then being locked imposition by any suitable means. Attention is here also directed to the fact that this construction, wherein the bearings are extended into and are housed in the ends of the rotors, results in a very compact construction longitudinally, a feature of dist nct importance where these motors are used for mining machine driving, as it renders possible the livers the pressure fluidiat a point below the mesh line of the rotor teeth and substantially at the point of intersection of the sets of teeth on each rotorso that the operation of the motive fluid in the tooth pockets results in the'rota'tion of the rotors, in opposite dire'ctions, the pressure fluid expanding as the rotors are revolved so that theair is more efliciently used, and the exhaust fluid escaping from the tooth pocketslat the junction of the bores 8 with the chamber 32 formed between cover plates 33 and the tops of the rotors. This exhaust is allowed to pass out of the chamber 3 through outlets Eli and 35 I in the top of the motor casing. The outlets 34 are disposed in the center line of the motor casing while the outlets35 are disposed adjacent the sides of the motor casing and herein the center outlets are in the form of juxtaposed side outlets. It will be noted that these outlets are provided with apertures 36' communicating directly with the chamber 32 and with downwardly and upwardly disposed passages 37, extending down beneath batfle plates 38 and then upward and outward to the atmosphere. It will therefore be noted that the exhaust from the rotorsis caused to pass out of the chamber 32 in such manner as not only to direct it away from the bottom of a mine when the machine is being used to drive a mining machineso avoiding creation of dust, but also operating to carry out any dust or coal particles which might otherwise enter into the motor, these outlets being operative herein to protect the motor against wear of its parts due to ingress through the passages of gritty particles By virtue of the r shapes these parts constitute dust traps, as any dust tending to sift in will fall into and be caught in the bottom of the passages 87. The pressure fluid for rotating the rotors 4 is conducted to the passage 31 from a suitable chamber39 -formed herein in a'supplemental head member i0 attached to the end of the motorcasing by 'suitablebolts ii. The pressure fluid passage 39 is in turn provided with a suit-' able pressure fluid inlet 42 which may be con trolled by suitable throttlevalve mechanism so that the pressure fluid supply to the chamber 39 is regulated or interrupted as may be desired. The supply of lubricant to "the motor will be effected by admitting suitable quantities into the incoming motive fluid.

Attention is now directed to a very important feature. In the use of motors of this type it will be discovered that if the inlet valve is closed and the rotors continue to rotate, as they willdo for a shorttime due to inertia, a vacuum will be produced and To overcome this difiiculty I have provided a relief valve mechanism which may be of any well vknown and suitable form to permit the entry of air at atmospheric pressure to the chamber 39 and to the motor when the pressure therein is reduced below atmospheric pressure as a result of the continued rotation of the rotors afterthe supply of pressure fluid has been cut on". Such a relief mechanism is indicated at 43 as an entirety and it comprises an air duct or tube supported in the wall of the chamber 39. It also comprises an inwardly opening check valve it normally held closed by a spring 45 and also held closed by pressure when fluid is being supplied to the chamber 39, this valve, however, being moved on a reduction of pressure below atmospheric in the chamber 39 to open position to permit the entrance of air to prevent the formation of a vacuum in the rotor chamber. It will be understood that the location of this valve mechanism is not necessarily as shown, but that itmay be positioned also at the inner endot the air supply i1 desired. This relief valve mechanism is of great importance as it is found to be impossible tor such a motor to be used in a mining machine in an ei ncient form without such a relief device, it being impossible on one hand to permit sparking due to the presence of and the consequent danger of eX plosion, while on the other hand, it danger of sparking is eliminated by increasing the clearance there is such a large leakage of air that the motor is rendered impracticable from the standpoint oi economy. Moreover. even were the clearance to be increased as suggested, there would still be abnormal wear on the bearings for while the'action of the 'air during rotation of the rotors under power tends to minimize wear dueto the air pressure partially supporting the weight of the rotors, when the air is cut oil there will be a very material increase in pressure upon the rotors due to the substantial downward force which results from formation of a vacuum By the use of this rein the tooth pockets. lief valve mechanism a reasonably small clearance may be'maintained and the dimensions of the rotor chai'nbers and the positioning oi? therotoii's may be so arranged that real operating e'l'liciency is secured with an entire absenceyot sparkin It will be noted that the right hand ends ottlie shafts 6 in Figs. land 2 are provided with extensions 49 protruding beyond the threaded portions thereon and that splined to each of these portions is a pinion 50 adapted to be shifted back and forth along the spline by means of a shipper link 51 and a suitable shipper member 52 pivoted at 53 on the supplemental head 40. shown, these shipper members 52; are also I provided with suitable interlocking mechas nism of any desired i'orm, herein shown to comprise rack portions 54 at their adjacent "ends each meshing with an intermediate pinion 55 which is carried on a stud 56 and is rotatable by means of a suitable handle 57. As a result of this construct on, when the handle 57 is rotated in one direction one shipper member 52 will be thrown in one direction and the other shipper member will be thrown in the opposite direction, caus ng opposite movements of the pinions 50 and throw ng one ot the same out oi engagement witlra gear 58, while theother is thrown into engagement with that gear. Thusit will be noted that the gear 58, while driven iii-om either of two constantly oppositely rotating members, may be driven in either direction at will and that it is'impossible for anoperator to throw both pinions 50 into mesh with the gear 58 at the same time. The gear 58 is in turn provided with a sleeve 59 splined to a shaft 60 which is herein shown asintegral with a cooperating beveldriving gear til. Roller bearings 62 are provided lietwcen the sleeve 59 and a suitable remow.

able bearing carrying member located in the outer wall of the head 40, and a suitable thrustbearing 10 t, herein ofthe ball type,

. and

arranged between the shaft 60 and the end of the motor casing to take the thrust of the pinion 61.. The rear end of the shaft 60 is also preferably mounted in a rollerbearing (S5 and both oi? the roller bearings 65 and 62 are disposed in removable sleeves 66 and 67 supplied with lubricant through suitable lubricant ducts ($8 and 69, respectively.

ll "(2 it should be noted that the supply lively with branches 39 and 39* of the chambcr 3 9, and a wall 10" divides'the chamber 39 i'roin'a compartment 40" in which the gears run in lubricant.

From the foregoing description the mode either of two desired directions.

' roliel connections 42, 33 are arranged near the top of the motor and at opposite rides thereof. These communicate respeca 58, and related parts are disposed and of operation of this mechanism will be readily understood. Fluid having been admitted to the inlet l2, the same will pass through chamber 39 to the passage 31 and be admitted from the passageway 32 to the tooth poclrets shortly after they begin to enlarge and acting therein will cause the rotors to rotate The motive fluid will be cut oil from the tooth pockets before thev have reached their full volume and will thereafter work expansivelyand will be released at the monient that the forward ends of the pockets of excessive pressure on the hearings or grounding of the rotors, for the reliei" mechanism l3 will open and prevent the formation of any substantial vacuum in the tooth pockets. V

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 555,916, filed'Nov. 10. 1916 and renewed April 21, 1922.

(Vhile I have in this application specifically described oneiorm which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthis form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

, lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent is: y

1; In a fluid pressure motor, a casing having a rotorchamber, a live pressure chamber below said rotor chamber and communicatingTtherewith, an exhaust chamber above said 'i'otor chamber and communicating therewith, a dust trap in said exhaust chant her for preventing foreign matter from ontering said rotor chamber, and an cxl'iaust' port opening through the top of said c 'ng leading from the exhaust chamber through said dust trap to the atmosphere.

2. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing havinga plurality of intercon'imunieating rotor chambers, a live pressure chamber below said rotor chambers and communicating therewith, an exhaust chamber above said rotor chambers and communicating therewith, a plurality of orifices leading fron'i said exhaust chamber to the atmosphere, and means constituting a baflle and a dust trap associated with each of said exhaust orifices,

the exhausting fluid flowing throughsaid battle and dust trap.

ing arotor chamber, a supply around the exterior of sa 3. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing comprising rot-or cham iers, a live pressure chamber below said rotor chambers and com municating therewith, chamber means for receiving the exhaust motive fluid communieating with said rotor chambers, and vent means leading to the atmosphere from said exhaust chamber means including means forming; battled passages through which the exhausting fluid flows.

4. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing comprising rotor c ambers, pressure chamber below s:

live

d rotorchambers and coirmunicating therewith, chamber means for receiving the exhaust motive-fluid communicating with said rotor chambers, and vent means leading to the atmosphere from said exhaust chamber means including means li-sha forming battled passages of which the exnaus O i 5. In a fluid pressure ing' a rotorchamber, a end of said rotor chamber, inlet passages extendine; or of said gear chamber ano pe through gear communicating with said rotor chamber, sale pressure fluid inlet passages having provision at points at oppositesides of said gear chamber tor the connection of fluid admission means. i

6-. In a fluid pressure motor, casing tending beneath said rotor chamber, 7 chamber at the end of said rotor chamber, andpressurefluid inlet pass l and conuminica tug with said sup sage, said pressure fluid inlet pass ing provision at points at opposite said gear chamber for the'connection oi fluid admission means. I

7. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing having a rotor chamber, and closures for said casing, a gear chamber termed on one oi rotor chambers, an exhaust chamber above said rotor chambers, and end closures for said casing, one of said end closures having a gear chamber and pressure fluid inlet passages extending around said ,e ear chamber and communicating with said pressure chamber in said casing, saidpressure'fluid inlet p assages having provision at points at the opposite sides of said gear chamber tor the connection of fluid admission means.

9. In a fluid pressure motor comprising. a casing and a rotor thereimsaidcasinghav bii ation with section and two end sections secured to said -shatts rotating on a fixed ax ing a branched inlet passage leading to said rotor at the bottom thereof, one of said branches being; connected to a source oft fluid pressure and the second having an inwardl opening check valve therein, and a plurality of vents leading from said casing to the atmosphere tor exhausting the fluid from tie top or said rotor. I

10. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing having, a rotor chamber, spaced exhausts communicating with said rotor chamber, a gear chaml at one end of. said rotor cham her, and plurality of fluid inlet passages extending; around said gear chamber and commu i ea-ting with said rotor chamber, one of said passages leading to a source of fluid pressure and another of said passages haing an inwardly opening check valve communieatin with the atmosphei In a fluid pressure motor, the combinat onuwifli a casing providing rotor chamber, at a rotor in said chamber having recessed ends, and anti-friction bearings for {EC rotor including elements rotatable on ax s offset from the rotor axis and carried by the endwalls of said chamber and projecting; into the recessed ends of the rotor.

2. In a fluid pressure motor, the coma casing comprising a central central section, said cent al section having a rotor chamber and a pressure chamber c munuuicating thercwitiuot a rotor in said i having; recessed ends. bear- I I id rotor carried by said end sections within the. recessed ends of said rotor, and grooves in said end sections between said bearings and said recesses tor preventleakage therebetween.

13. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing having intersecting rotor chambers, intermeshinp; rotors in said chambers, shafts to which said rotors are fined, a gear chamber at the end of said rotor chamber, pressure fluidinlet passage means extending around he exterior of said gear. chamber and communicating with said rotor chambers, said rotor shatts projecting into said gear chamber, a driving shaft intermediate said rotor s, and means in said gear chamber for connecting either of said rotor shafts to said driving shaft.

1%. In affiuid pressure motor, a casing having intersecting; rotor chambers, intermeshing rotors in said chambers, shafts to which saidirotors'are fixed, a chamber at the end ot said rotor chambers, pressure fluid inlet passage, means extending around the exterior of said gear chamber and com municating withsaid rotor chambers, said rotor shafts: projecting into sale gear chamher, a driving shat't intermediate said rotor shafts, and means in said gear chamber for connecting either of said rotor shafts to said driv ng shattincluding gears in said gear iii cl'iamber slidable longitudinally en said rotor shafts. i I I 15. In a fluid pressuremotor, the combination witlia casing providing a rotor chamber. of a rotor in said chamber having a shaft and a recess surrmmding said shaft atone end thereof, and means Iorming an end wall for said chamber and having a por tion projecting into said recess and sur rounding said shaft and an antifriction bearing housed in said portiontand supporting said shaft, said bearing including elements rotatable on axes offset from the rotor axis.

16. In a fluid pressure motor, the com-f ing including elements rotatable on axes offset from the rotor axis. I

17. In a fluid pressure'motor, the combination with a casing providing a rotor chamber, of a rotor in said chamber having a shaft and a recess surrounding said shaft at one end thereof, and means forming an end wall for said chamber-and having a portion projecting into said recess and surrounding said shaft, a chamber in said portion opening through the outer wall of said means and concentric with said shaft, an antifriction bearing housed in said chamber and supporting said shaft and removable through the end of said chamber, said bearing including elements rotatable on axes offset from the rotor axis, and means for maintaining: said bearing in position closing the open g through said inlet in said rib and comprising end of said chamber.

18. In a fluid pressure motor, a casing having a rotor chamber, end closures for said casing, a gear chamber on one of said end closures providing a lubricant bath, and pressure fluid supply means extending around said gear chamber and providing fluid admission connections at either side of the latter. I I

19. In a fluid pressure motor, a plurality of intermeshing rotors having spaced power shafts, a shaft betweensaid spacedpower shaftsin fixed space relation to the latter,

. gears on said power shafts, a gear on said removable through the end of said chamber, said bear:

tatably mounted in said bearin tioned shafts, gears one on each of said shafts, the gears on said power shafts being splined thereto and slidable longitudinally thereof andthe gear on said intermediate shaft being fixed thereto, and means for alternatelysliding said gears on said power shaftsdnto mesh with said intermediately disposed gear to cause rotation of the latter in opposite directions.

21. In a fluid pressure motor, a plurality shafts, a shaft intermediate the first mentioned shafts, gears one on. each of said shafts, the on said power shafts being splined thereto and slidable longitudinally thereof and the gear on said intermediate shaft beingfixed thereto, means for supportingsaid intermediate shaft including bearings at opposite sides of the gear thereon, and means foralternately sliding said gears on said power shafts into mesh with said interinediately disposed. gear to cause rotation of the latter in opposite directions.

22. In a fluid pressure motor, a rotor casing, rotors therein having intermeshing tooth blades, supplytand exhaust chambers in said casing having supply and exhaust connections disposed respectively above and below the rotors, and a relief valve on said casing independent of said supply connection and communicating with the sunnlv chamber therein; I I

23. In arotary engine, the combination including a pair of intermeshing rotors each provided peripherally with means fori'ning series of generally 'helically extending fluid pocket-s, a rib extending across the inlet side of said rotors parallel to their axes and in substantial conformity to a portion of their peripheries, said rib providing a fluid inlet, front and rear heads, shafts supporting said rotors and rotatable therewith and rotatably mounted in said heads, and fluid supply means communicating with said rotors means forming supply passages leading to ,7!) of intern'ieshmg rotors having spaced power too said inlet from points adjacent the opposite sides of said engine.

24. In a rotary engine, the combination in cluding a. pair of intermeshing rotors each provided peripherally with means forming series ofgenerally helically extending fluid pockets,-a rib extending'across the inlet side of said rotors parallel to their axes and in. conformity to a portion of their peripheries, front and rear heads, bearings carried by said front and rear heads, shafts supporting said rotors and rotatable therewith and ro s, and fluid supply means for said motor including an inlet passage in said rib and passages lead ing thereto extending transversely of said engine below the plane of the rotor axes.

25. In a rotary engine, the combination with a pair of rotors each provided peripherally with means forming series of generally helically extending pressure receiving pockets, a casing for said rotors providing a rib extending across the lower side of said rotors parallel to their aXes'and in conformityto a portion of their peripheries, front and rear heads, bearings carried by said front and rear heads, shafts rotatable with said rotors and supporting the same and journaled in said bearings, said casing providing an exhaust chamber communicating with the upper surfaces of said rotors, fluid supply means for said rotors opening through said rib and including passages extending transversely of the engine below the plane of the rotor axes, and relief means constantly in communication with said fluid supply means and'including an inwardly opening valve controlled by the pressure within said fluid supply chamber.

' 26. In a rotary engine, a casing providing a chamber having at its bottom bounding surfaces of a form corresponding to portions of the surfaces of intersecting cylinders, intermeshing rotors substantially corresponding in curvature to the curvature of the bottom of the chamber, fluid supply means opening through the bottom of the chamber and including passages extending transversely of the engine below the plane of the rotor axes, exhaust means opening from the chamber, and an automatically operative inwardly opening relief valve comn'iunicating with said supply means.

27-. In combination, a motor having interineshing rotors, an element driven by said motor, and means for selectively connecting said rotors to said element to drive the same in opposite directions including clutch means reciprocable longitudinally of the rotor axes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MORRIS P. HOLMES. 

